Apple’s most recent big update, the IOS 26, was officially released to the public on Sept. 15, and Apple continues to release smaller updates to fix bugs caused by the update. The update was only released to iPhones 11 and newer. The last major update by Apple was the IOS 18, which was released on Sept. 16, 2024.
The update consists of some major changes to the look, design, and function of an iPhone. Liquid glass is one of the big visual redesigns to the iPhone. This new design gives the phone apps a slightly transparent but more modern look.
Another big change the update brought was to the messages app. In Messages, you can now customize the background of your chats to be whatever you want. The update also changed Messages by making it Instagram–styled. On FaceTime, you can now draw on another person’s screenshare, too.
There are also even more options to customize your phone’s lock screen and home screen. By holding down on your home screen and clicking “edit” in the top left corner of your screen, a drop-down menu will appear with four different options.
If you click on the “customize” option, you can change the color, transparency, size, and light or dark settings of the app icons, widgets, and background.
You can also now change your wallpaper through the same menu by clicking the “wallpaper” option in the drop-down menu. Apple also moved the “edit home screen” button to that menu, and you can still add and edit widgets through there.
The update has gotten a lot of mixed opinions, with some saying they love it, while others say they hate it.
Those who dislike it say that the new movement, transparency, and glossy effects are distracting and become annoying after a while. One person even said it looks like our phones are encased in a layer of Jell-O.
Additionally, the update has made the icons and different buttons even smaller and closer together, which looks nice but is impractical, especially for those with bigger fingers. The “back” button has also changed for the worse.
It used to be a clearly labeled arrow, generally located at the top corner of your screen, and was easy to find. Now the button is an unlabeled arrow at the top or bottom of your screen, and sometimes it isn’t there at all, making it incredibly difficult to navigate the device.
Some users report running into bugs and glitches after the update. One problem was that the phones were overheating, likely from the stress of all the new features the update added. Battery life also drains faster with the update.
Some technical problems, like lag and the screen becoming unresponsive, are common. Issues with the camera, such as a black screen and distorted images, have affected a few users.
Overall, the update has impacted iPhone users all over the world and will continue to do so as users adjust to the new navigation, style, and features of the phone. Apple continues to release small updates that are working to fix the bugs and glitches.